Title: Digital opportunity assessment in international markets

Authors: Ilke Kardes; Joanne M. Tran; Manisha Mathur; Leisa R. Flynn; Michael T. Dugan

Addresses: College of Business Administration, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA 31698, USA ' School of Marketing, College of Business & Economic Development, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, USA ' Hull College of Business, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA ' Professor Emeritus College of Business and Economic Development, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA ' Hull College of Business Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA

Abstract: This study examines external environmental factors (political/legal, socio-economic, and technological) most strongly associated with e-commerce sales in emerging vs. developed markets. This study uses longitudinal archival data and conducts a partial least squares-structural equation modelling to investigate the impact of environmental factors. The results indicate that technological factors, among others, are the most associated with e-commerce sales in both emerging and developed markets. There is no significant difference between the two country groups regarding the association of political/legal factors with e-commerce sales. Socio-economic factors are more highly associated with e-commerce sales in emerging markets than in developed countries. This study extends the previous literature by combining market opportunity analysis with the PEST framework to assess digital opportunities in international markets. Furthermore, the study uses partial least squares-structural equation modelling to compare developed countries with emerging markets.

Keywords: E-commerce; emerging markets; developed markets; PEST analysis; external environment; political factors; legal factors; socio-economic factors; technological factors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTGM.2024.143710

International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, 2024 Vol.20 No.1/2, pp.25 - 49

Received: 09 Jun 2022
Accepted: 02 Mar 2023
Published online: 06 Jan 2025 *

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